John H. Pruitt
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| John Henry Pruitt | |
|---|---|
| October 4, 1896 – October 4, 1918 (aged 22) | |
  Corporal John H. Pruitt, Medal of Honor recipient |
|
| Place of birth | Fayetteville, Arkansas |
| Place of death | KIA at Blanc Mont Ridge, France |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1917-1918 |
| Rank | Corporal |
| Unit | 6th Marine Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Chateau-Thierry Battle of Belleau Wood Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Army Medal of Honor Navy Silver Star Purple Heart Croix de Guerre |
John Henry Pruitt (4 October 1896–4 October 1918) was a United States Marine during World War I and is 1 of only 19 people who received 2 Medals of Honor. The Medals of Honor were presented posthumously for his actions during World War I.
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[edit] Biography
John Henry Pruitt was born on October 4, 1896 in Fayetteville, Arkansas and he entered military service in Phoenix, Arizona. Pruitt was a corporal in the Marine Corps, he attacked and captured two enemy machine guns, and later captured forty of the enemy. Killed by shell-fire, he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery on 4 October 1918 at the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge, France by both the United States Marine Corps and the US Army (for the same action).
On March 10, 2004, The family of Corporal Pruitt turned over to the Marine Corps all of his medals, citations and artifacts for display at the museum at Quantico, Virginia.
[edit] Medal of Honor citation
- Army Medal
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps, 78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2d Division. Place and date: At Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918. Entered service at: Phoenix, Ariz. Born: 4 October 1896, Fayettesville, Ark. G.O. No.: 62, W.D., 1919. (Also received Navy Medal of Honor.)
Citation:
- Cpl. Pruitt single-handed attacked 2 machineguns, capturing them and killing 2 of the enemy. He then captured 40 prisoners in a dugout nearby. This gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping at the enemy.
- Navy Medal
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps. Born: 4 October 1896, Fayettesville, Ark. Accredited to: Arizona. (Also received Army Medal of Honor.)
Citation:
- For extraordinary gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with the 78th Company, 6th Regiment, 2d Division, in action with the enemy at Blanc Mont Ridge, France, 3 October 1918. Cpl. Pruitt, single-handed attacked 2 machineguns, capturing them and killing 2 of the enemy. He then captured 40 prisoners in a dugout nearby. This gallant soldier was killed soon afterward by shellfire while he was sniping the enemy.
[edit] Namesake
USS Pruitt (DD-347/AG-101) was named for him and he was listed in Pershing's 100.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
- John H. Pruitt at Find A Grave Retrieved on 2007-11-05
- Corporal John Henry Pruitt, Medal of Honor recipient. Who's who in Marine Corps history. History Division, United States Marine Corps (September 18, 2003). Retrieved on 2007-11-05.
- Corporal John Henry Pruitt, Medal of Honor recipient. Navy Medal of Honor citation. History Division, United States Marine Corps (March 05, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-11-05.
- Corporal John Henry Pruitt, Medal of Honor recipient. Army Medal of Honor citation. United States Army (July 16, 2007). Retrieved on 2007-11-05.
